RECORD NUMBER OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ENTER INTO PARTNERSHIP

WITH UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

 

Following an active campaign by the Department of Public Information (DPI) to diversify the geographical representation of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) it associates with, 26 new NGOs admitted to its list of partners in December.  There are now a total of 1,697 NGOs associated with DPI –- after another group of 14 were formally disassociated.

DPI is a key focal point in the United Nations Secretariat for non-governmental organizations aspiring to work with the Organization.  In addition to weekly briefings on topics relevant to the United Nations agenda, DPI organizes every year an annual conference which now takes place away from Headquarters.  This year’s gathering took place in Paris and focused on “Reaffirming Human Rights for All -– The Universal Declaration at 60”.

The NGOs presented for review this month cover a wide range of issues, such as awareness about autism; improvement of the quality of life of indigenous people; promotion of global democracy; anti-bribery compliance; empowerment of women in Bahrain; promotion of the Millennium Development Goals; and more.

An NGO from Kenya, the African Braille Center (ABC), empowers people with visual impairment to have access to educational, professional and general interest materials as well as services suited to their needs.  K.P. Yator from the Kenyan Ministry of Education acknowledged that ABC is an active player in the education, disability and disability sectors and had been active in creating widespread awareness of the needs of people with disabilities.

For the first time, the Committee associated an NGO from the Kingdom of Bahrain.  The Bahrain Women’s Association for Human Development’s (BWA) purpose is to enable women to assume a leading role in human development, to provide awareness against violence and abuse as well as social and environmental negligence.

Suzanne Wright, Co-Founder of Autism Speaks, noted the remarkable accomplishment of establishing the annual World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) less than a year after it was first suggested during a DPI/NGO briefing in June 2007.  She added that passing this resolution had given people with autism the validation they need.  This NGO is now associated with DPI.

Olajobi Makinwa, of the United Nations Global Compact Office, notes that Trace International is involved in the Working Group of the UN Global Compact on anti-corruption.  This newly associated NGO is committed to “helping businesses around the world align their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.”

Following are the newly associated NGOs listed alphabetically and by regional groups:

African States:  Academy for Future Science ( South Africa), African Braille Center ( Kenya), Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation (Libyan Arab Jamairiya), Women’s Board ( Nigeria)

Asian States:  Bahrain Women’s Association for Human Development (Bahrain), UNESCO Association, Guwahati (India), Mata Amritanandamayi Math (India), The Univers Foundation (Japan)

Latin American and Caribbean States:  Habitat Pro Association ( Peru), Planetafilia ( Mexico), Sociedad de Amigos del Museo Afro-antillano de Panama ( Panama)

Western European and Other States:  A Better World (USA), Autism Speaks (USA), Books for Africa (USA), Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe (Greece), Company of Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (France), Darfur Rehabilitation Project (USA), Independent Diplomat (UK/USA), International Federation of Home Economics (Germany), International Institute of New Jersey (USA), Pacific Rim Institute for Development and Education (USA), Student World Assembly (USA), Trace International (USA), World Growth (USA)

Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Europe:  International Council of Russian Compatriots ( Russian Federation), War Veterans Committee ( Russian Federation).

In keeping with the Department of Public Information’s policy to ensure that its active list of NGO partners maintain the level of interest and support that initially justified their acceptance, the following 14 NGOs were disassociated due to their failure to meet the criteria for ongoing association:  Academy of Mining Science (Russian Federation), The Arab Association for Arts, Culture and Information (Egypt), The Egyptian Society of Human Rights Supporters Cultural Club (Egypt), Federation of Afro-Asian Insurers and Reinsurers (Egypt), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (Belgium), Moscow Public Science Foundation (Russian Federation), Muslim World League (Egypt), National Cultures Centre/Centre for National Cultures (Russian Federation), Peace Committee 2000 (Germany), Russian American University (Russian Federation), War Resisters International (United Kingdom), World Federation of Labour (Belgium), World Federation of Scientific Workers (United Kingdom), Worldwrite (United Kingdom).

In building new relationships with various regional NGOs particularly in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, DPI is hoping to see participation and involvement in the work of the United Nations thrive and grow.

For further information, please contact DPI/NGO Relations at tel.:  212 963 6842 or e-mail:  dpingo@un.org.  The Directory of non-governmental organizations associated with the Department of Information is also available at http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/index.asp.

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For information media • not an official record